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NOOK Book(eBook)

Overview

First in a Series!

"Eighty years is a long time to go without a drink."???? " Full of mystery, emotion, and a plot that keeps the readers on their toes, I couldn't peel my eyes away."???? " This book captivated me. The ending might have been my favorite. One of my favorite mystery reads of the year, and one to get your to-read list!"

Book 1

One October morning in 1932, Vicente Sorolla entered the white house on the hill and was never seen again. Now, Detective Dori Orihuela witnesses his brutal murder in her nightmares.

Drawn to this tough but tender woman, Vicente materializes out of the butler's pantry and asks her to find his lost love, Anna. Dori wonders if she's not only about to lose her badge, but also her sanity.

With a promise to Vicente, Dori may solve a forgotten Prohibition-era murder. Or she may exhume secrets someone died to protect.

A modern gothic mystery woven with suspense, ghosts, and romance, Lost in the Light was nominated for the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Paranormal Mystery/Suspense.

Fans of Susanna Kearsley, Simone St. James, Diana Gabaldon, Mary Stewart, Kate Morton, and Victoria Holt will want to curl up with Dori on her journey to love, past and present.

WARNING: May keep you up late at night turning the pages, or inspire you to sleep with the lights on! Lost in the Light can be read a stand-alone novel, but is the first novel in the Dori O. Paranormal Mystery Series.

DETAILS+ Cliffhanger-free+ Contains strong language and appropriate for adult audiences+ This series takes you back in time, makes it difficult to put down, will have you laugh out loud and possibly cry.

Product Details

About the Author

Mary Castillo, became a writer when given an assignment to create a fairy tale book in the third grade. Screenplays came first, but when she wrote her first novel she found her life's work. Known for her humorous characters and the crazy situations they get themselves into, Latina magazine called Mary "an author to look out for," and selected In Between Men and Names I Call My Sister for the Top 10 Summers Reads in July 2009. OC Metro Magazine named Mary one of the hottest 25 people in The O.C. She has also been profiled in Orange County Register, Coast, The Arizona Republic and San Diego Union Tribune. Her debut, Hot Tamara was a Cosmopolitan Magazine "Red Hot Read."

When not holed up in her office, you can find Mary knitting while reading historical novels and biographies, or her favorite authors. She loves farmer's markets, tea and random historic landmarks. With her husband and son, she's hiking, camping and making up new lyrics for "Call Me Maybe."

Visit Mary's website at www.MaryCastillo.comFollow Mary on twitter at www.twitter.com/MCastilloWritesJoin Mary on Faceboook at www.facebook.com/marycastillo

Editorial Reviews

This book captivated me. The story brings in some of my favorite elements – mainly being mystery and the past. The story shifts back and forth from present day and 1932, and readers understand Vicente's story more and more as the book whips along. The mystery aspect really drew me in, and I liked that readers could get into Dori and Vicente's head both. One of my favorite mystery reads of the year, and one to get your to-read list!

http://chicklitplus.com/lost-light-mary-castillo/ - Samantha March

Prohibition, and the landline through Tijuana were fascinating. The most vivid character portraits were of the ghost and the grandmother, but the heroine, Dori Orihuela, a police detective who has just purchased her first home, albeit a haunted one, is the force that drives the narrative. The story is a page turner with old flames, sexy ghosts, family obligations that we all contend with, humor, and bonds with new female friends.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Lost in the Light: A Dori Orihuela Paranormal Mystery Novel 4.3 out of 5based on
0 ratings.
8 reviews.

ReadersFavorite

More than 1 year ago

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
Lost in the Light by Mary Castillo is the story of Dani Orihuela, a tough detective who is under investigation regarding a case. She purchased an old house while resting and getting herself back together again physically and emotionally. However, the house that is supposed to be her sanctuary is haunted by a ghost that needs her help. Despite already being on edge because of her job and her relationship with her family, Dani agrees and she is going to find out more than just the history of the house.
Lost in the Light grabbed my attention right from the start and I immediately gravitated towards the protagonist, Dori Orihuela. The pacing of the story is perfect. Transitions between paragraphs and chapters, as well as the present and Vincente Soralla&rsquo;s past life, are flawless. I had no problem vividly imagining the settings and each portrayed scene. The characters are easily believable, as if they are real people who are included in the story instead of created characters for a fiction.
This is a paranormal story that not only has a ghost in it, but romance, action, humor, and some historical facts as well. I finished the story in one sitting. Again, the story is faultless and I -- as a fan of the paranormal genre -&ndash; am satisfied and entertained. Mary Castillo's talent is undeniable. I look forward to reading her other works and hope she continues to write for paranormal fans. All in all, a complete and brilliantly written piece.

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

I love Dori, our tough no nonsense....no, not so much. She's just struggling to keep her sanity like the rest of us. Which get's a little harder when resident ghost Vincent keeps appearing. His story is heart breaking, Lost love,murder, And Grammy is just a hoot.......Read it! You'll be glad you did.

JimWoodWork

More than 1 year ago

Very engaging &amp; interesting read that I got for free through the Read2Review section of the Paranormal &amp; Horror Lovers group. Fantastic idea &amp; a great way to meet new authors. I'm glad I met this one.
While this is a ghost story, it's a mystery &amp; has a true horror element to it, but most of that is what humans can do to each other, nothing supernatural about it &amp; it's all the more horrible for that. The mystery is interesting, solved partially by flashbacks into the days of the Great Depression &amp; Prohibition. There's also a strong romantic element running through the story - no explicit sex.
On the downside, I found the narrative a bit choppy at times &amp; the motivations of characters didn't always ring quite true, but the latter could be me. I felt it was a bit a stretch to give this a full 5 stars, but I'll definitely look at some of this author's other books.

Mallory_SupernaturalFan

More than 1 year ago

Review of Lost in the Light
What a truly delightful exploration into a very realistic and believable Supernatural! An injured police detective attempts to settle in at the historic home she&rsquo;s purchased, a real beauty but also a major fixer-upper. Avoiding antidepressants and stifling her emotions just as her Grampy always showed her, Dori is astounded to discover what she at first considers to be an elusive intruder, only to discover it&rsquo;s a walking, talking, electricity-defying-ghost. A good-looking (when she&rsquo;s not seeing his battered near death body) Hispanic male in his 30&rsquo;s, Vincente comes to her from 1932, when as a rumrunner he was betrayed and beaten, left for dead in this house. He has unfinished business he wants her to transact (don&rsquo;t all ghosts?), but mostly Dori just wants to be left alone, by her unlikable Mother, Mom&rsquo;s boyfriend the pharmacist, and by Gavin, the contractor, who was one of Dori&rsquo;s high school conquests (and betrayals).
&ldquo;Lost in the Light&rdquo; is a real page-turner, romantic, suspenseful, tension-building-and of course, Supernatural. I highly recommend it.
I received a review e-book copy from the author via Goodreads Group Paranormal and Horror Lovers.

Amy_H

More than 1 year ago

This ghost story is more entertaining and romantic than having real chills, so if you're looking for a hardcore scary book this is not for you. Dori is a police officer recovering in her new home from an on-the-job injury. The house is haunted by the spirit of Vicente, a bootlegger during prohibition who was killed in the house in 1932. He implores Dori to find the love of his life, Anna and over time tells Dori the story of his life (and death). I found Vicente's tale more interesting that Dori's but liked both characters. Dori struggles with a lack of confidence and direction and during the renovation of her home also tries to figure out her feelings for the contractor. He just happens to be a former boyfriend from high school. Not all the characters came alive (no pun intended) for me, but overall I enjoyed this book.

WolfFaerie17

More than 1 year ago

Book exchanged for an honest review~
Detective Dori Orihuela is on leave pending an investigation into her actions. Now she's stuck at home with virtually nothing to do. When she sees a ghost of Vicente Sorrola her life and world are about to be turned upside down in ways she never expected. Dori's Grammy thinks the answers can be found if only Dori would listen to her advice. Grammy insists that Dori get her home repaired before it comes down around her ears. Grammy contacts Dori's high school ex-boyfriend Gavin as the contractor. Dori always feels like an outsider in her family but doesn't expect her family to understand who she is. Dori doesn't act as Gavin expected which surprises both of them. Dori sets out to help Vicente find the answers to how he died. Dori searches for traces of Anna Vazquez. Will Dori allow anyone in? What about Grammy? How will Dori handle Gavin? What will Gavin do? Can Dori find the answers that Vicente needs? Your ansers await you in Lost in the Light.
I really loved how the author crafted this cleaver story of hope, betrayal, passion, mystery, and su much more. I can really relate to Dori's character in ways that startle me to the core. I love stories that root for the underdog and succeed yet can fail too! The author has a gift in writing this book because everything is totatlly real and beautiful. I will definitely look forward to this author's next work.

Tadyena

More than 1 year ago

**I was given a free copy of this book by the author for an honest review**
No one remembers&hellip;
One October morning in 1932, Vicente Sorolla entered the white house on the hill and was never seen again .
Now, Detective Dori Orihuela helplessly witnesses his brutal murder in her nightmares.
Settling into a 120 year-old Edwardian mansion, Dori restores her dream home while recovering from a bullet wound and waiting to go back on duty.
But then one afternoon, Vicente materializes out of her butler's pantry and asks her to find a woman named Anna. Dori wonders if she's not only about to lose her badge, but also her sanity.
Dori and Vicente's unlikely friendship takes us back to the waning days of Prohibition in San Diego and the dusty barrio of National City.
I really liked this story. It was a very enjoyable read. The author tells a entertaining, and in my opinion, believable story. She switches characters from Dori to Vincente in a seamless manner that makes sense. Story was not only entertaining but involved enough to keep the reader engrossed and did not get bogged down in details or unimportant fact. Although were a few things, I would have liked to be explained. For example, what did Dori really do to Gavin all those years ago. It was not really needed for the story. I would also preferred a little more romance, but this is not a romance, so that is just a personal preference.
I would state again that I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this aurthor.

kerbytejas

More than 1 year ago

Lost in the Light by Mary Castillo
Book Blurb:
One October morning in 1932, Vicente Sorolla entered the white house on the hill and was never seen again .
Now, Detective Dori Orihuela helplessly witnesses his brutal murder in her nightmares.
Settling into a 120 year-old Edwardian mansion, Dori restores her dream home while recovering from a bullet wound and waiting to go back on duty.
But then one afternoon, Vicente materializes out of her butler's pantry and asks her to find a woman named Anna. Dori wonders if she's not only about to lose her badge, but also her sanity.
Dori and Vicente's unlikely friendship takes us back to the waning days of Prohibition in San Diego and the dusty barrio of National City. Mary Castillo's new novel, featuring the wild Orihuela family that first delighted readers in Names I Call My Sister, weaves romance, history and a mystery into a humorous, touching and unforgettable story.
My thoughts:
Lost In the Light is a simple, heart warming, book filled with history, determination and follow through. It&rsquo;s a parallel love story of 2 couples that centers around an aging haunted mansion.
The Author places this book in the paranormal, crime, mystery, suspense genre. I will agree that it fits the history portion very well, I guess because there&rsquo;s a ghost the paranormal also fits , and a murder, that supports the crime portion, but I did not find the mystery, suspense or the amount of it I was expecting.
I found that the writing was simple, descriptions, scenery, and events just enough to satisfy the plot of the story. The characters interacted well with each other but in many ways I didn&rsquo;t feel the connections. Dori and Gavin had a history but it was only briefly discussed, Dori and her family had deeper ties, but I attribute this to the Hispanic matriarchal traditions. The story line of Anna and Vicente was some of the better writing, showing the history, strife, hardships of the times, and compromises that had to be made during the 1930&rsquo;s for immigrants.
The story is told by jumping back and forth between the current to the 1930&rsquo;s as Dori remodels her home and seeks to find out what happened to Anna, at the request of her mansions ghost. The one big negative for me were character names, such as Dori, Grammy, Grampy &amp; Megs, I had a hard time relating this to an adult book, as they made me feel I was reading for a much younger age group.
This book would be appropriate for readers 15 and up as there is minimal violence, nothing offensive and only a vague reference to any serious sex. The book has a happy ending, providing a conclusion to the story of Anna &amp; Vicente, one that ties generations together, and a promise of a future for Dori &amp; Gavin.
This book was provided to me by the Author through the Goodreads &ldquo;Read to Review&rdquo; program for an honest review